APHC010314992025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH MONDAY, THE TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY FIVE THE HONOURABLE SMT JUSTICE V.SUJATHA WRIT PETITION NO: 15964/2025 Between: 1. G ADHI NARAYANA REDDY, S/O. G. VENKATA REDDY, FLAT.NO.401,4TH FLOOR, SAI APARTMENTS, SBI COLONY, NANDYAL, NANDYAL DISTRICT. 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, IRRIGATION AND CAD DEPARTMENT RESOURCES DEPARTMENT), SECRETARIAT BUILDINGS, VELAGAPUDI, GUNTUR DISTRICT. 2. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND PLANNING, SECRETARIAT BUILDINGS, VELAGAPUDI, AMARAVATHI, GUNTUR DISTRICT. 3. THE CHIEF ENGINEER, TELUGU GANGA PROJECT, SRINIVASA NAGAR, SAROJINI DEVI LAYOUT, TIRUPATI, ANDHRA PRADESH 517507. 4. THE CHIEF ENGINEER PROJECTS, WATER RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, IRRIGATION CIRCLE, KURNOOL. 5. THE SUPERINTENDENT ENGINEER, WATER RE DEPARTMENT, IRRIGATION CIRCLE, KURNOOL, KURNOOL DISTRICT. IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) THE FIFTEENTH DAY OF SEPTEMBER TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY FIVE PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SMT JUSTICE V.SUJATHA WRIT PETITION NO: 15964/2025 G ADHI NARAYANA REDDY, S/O. G. VENKATA REDDY, FLAT.NO.401,4TH FLOOR, SAI APARTMENTS, SBI COLONY, NANDYAL, NANDYAL DISTRICT. AND THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, IRRIGATION AND CAD DEPARTMENT RESOURCES DEPARTMENT), SECRETARIAT BUILDINGS, VELAGAPUDI, GUNTUR DISTRICT. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND PLANNING, SECRETARIAT BUILDINGS, VELAGAPUDI, AMARAVATHI, GUNTUR THE CHIEF ENGINEER, TELUGU GANGA PROJECT, SRINIVASA NAGAR, SAROJINI DEVI LAYOUT, TIRUPATI, ANDHRA PRADESH THE CHIEF ENGINEER PROJECTS, WATER RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, IRRIGATION CIRCLE, KURNOOL. THE SUPERINTENDENT ENGINEER, WATER RE DEPARTMENT, IRRIGATION CIRCLE, KURNOOL, KURNOOL IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH [3333] FIFTEENTH DAY OF SEPTEMBER THE HONOURABLE SMT JUSTICE V.SUJATHA G ADHI NARAYANA REDDY, S/O. G. VENKATA REDDY, FLAT.NO.401,4TH FLOOR, SAI APARTMENTS, SBI COLONY, ...PETITIONER THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, IRRIGATION AND CAD DEPARTMENT (WATER RESOURCES DEPARTMENT), SECRETARIAT BUILDINGS, THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND PLANNING, SECRETARIAT BUILDINGS, VELAGAPUDI, AMARAVATHI, GUNTUR THE CHIEF ENGINEER, TELUGU GANGA PROJECT, SRINIVASA NAGAR, SAROJINI DEVI LAYOUT, TIRUPATI, ANDHRA PRADESH - THE CHIEF ENGINEER PROJECTS, WATER RESOURCES THE SUPERINTENDENT ENGINEER, WATER RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, IRRIGATION CIRCLE, KURNOOL, KURNOOL 2 6. THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, WATER RESOURCES DEPARTMENT T.G.P. DIVISION, ALLAGADDA, NANDYAL DISTRICT. ...RESPONDENT(S): Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed therewith, the High Court may be pleased topleased to issue an appropriate Writ Order or direction more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus declaring the action of the Respondents in withholding the Rs.17,99,516/- and payments of pending amounts of Rs.18,05,643/- Rs. 17,98,301/- totalling an amount of Rs.54,03,460/- (Fifty four lakhs Three thousand Four Hundred and Sixty Rupees) for the year 2023, even after finalizing the bills, payable to the petitioner in relation to the works (1.) Repairs and Restoration to the TGP Block No.21 Major Distributory from Km.0.200 to KM 0.650 and from KM 0.700 to KM 6.200. (2.) Repairs and Restoration to the TGP Block No.21 Major Distributory from Km 6.200 to Km 10.825. (3.) Repairs and Restoration to the TGP Block No.21 Major Distributory from Km 10.825 to Km 14.600. as bad, illegal, arbitrary, improper, unjust and against the Article 21 of Constitution of India and consequently direct the Respondents to pay the amounts of Rs.54,03,460 (Fifty four lakhs Three thousand Four Hundred and Sixty Rupees) forthwith release the payments of above bill amount along with 12 percent interest and pass IA NO: 1 OF 2025 Petition under Section 151 CPC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the petition, the High Court may be pleased Pleased to direct the respondents to release and pay the amounts of Rs.54,03,460 (Fifty four lakhs Three thousand Four Hundred and Sixty Rupees) release the payments of the bill amount along with 12% interest, pending disposal of the writ petition and pass Counsel for the Petitioner: 1. THATHIREDDY ASHOK SRIVASTAVA Counsel for the Respondent(S): 1. GP FOR IRRI AND CAD 2. GP FOR FINANCE PLANNING 3 The Court made the following Order: The present Writ Petition was filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking the following relief:- “… to issue an appropriate Writ, Order or direction more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus declaring the action of the Respondents in withholding the payments of pending amounts of Rs.18,05,643/-, Rs.17,98,301/- & Rs.17,98,301/- totalling an amount of Rs.54,03,460/- (Fifty four lakhs Three thousand Four Hundred and Sixty Rupees) for the year 2023, even after finalizing the bills payable to the petitioner in relation to the works (1) Repairs and Restoration to the TGP Block No.21 Major Distributory from Km.0.200 to KM 0.650 and from KM 0.700 to KM 6.200 (2) Repairs and Restoration to the TGP Block No.21 Major Distributory from Km 6.200 to Km 10.825 (3) Repairs and Restoration to the TGP Block No.21 Major Distributory from Km 10.825 to Km 14.600 as bad, illegal, arbitrary, improper, unjust and against the Article 21 of Constitution of India and consequently direct the Respondents to pay the amounts of Rs.54,03,460/- (Fifty four lakhs Three thousand Four Hundred and Sixty Rupees) forthwith release the payments of above bill amount along with 12% interest and to pass such other order or orders ….” 2. The petitioner had been awarded the contract of work(s) by the Irrigation Department. After execution of the said contract, a final bill was prepared for a sum of Rs.18,05,643/-, Rs.17,99,516/- & Rs.17,98,301/- (Rs.54,03,460/- in total), as per the sanctioned orders. Confirming the same, respondents also issued quality control certificates to a tune of Rs.17,36,820/-, Rs.17,32,292/- & Rs.17,31,173/-. As the payment of the said amounts has not been made by the respondents, the petitioner has approached this Court by way of this writ petition. 3. It is the contention of the petitioner that even though the respondents admitted that the petitioner is entitled for payment of the aforesaid sum of money, no payment is being made. The petitioner contends that such non- 4 payment of money is clearly arbitrary and high-handed requiring the interference of this Court. 4. This Court, in various orders, including the judgment of a learned Single Judge of this Court dated 05.10.2021 in W.P.No.10038 of 2021 and batch had taken the view that such non-payment of dues is arbitrary and that such dues need to be cleared by the respondents at the earliest. 5. On the other hand, learned Government Pleader, on oral instructions, submits that, since the budget was not released by the Government, the bills were not paid to the petitioner. Soon after release of the budget by the Government, the bills will be paid to the petitioner, however, admitted the amounts payable to the petitioner as per the quality control certificates filed by the petitioner to a tune of Rs.17,36,820/-, Rs.17,32,292/- & Rs.17,31,173/-. 6. In view of the facts and circumstances of the case, and the directions of this Court in various cases and after hearing the submissions of learned counsel for the petitioner, this Writ Petition is disposed of with a direction to the respondents to release the amounts to the petitioner in accordance with the quality control certificates dated 15.11.2023 issued by the respondents within a period of five (5) months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. 7. As far as interest component is concerned, if there is any subsisting clause in the agreement/work order envisaging payment of interest upon any 5 amounts which are due and payable, the same is binding upon both the parties. There shall be no order as to costs. As a sequel, Interlocutory Applications pending, if any, shall stand closed. __________________ JUSTICE V.SUJATHA Dated: 15.09.2025 MDP